Riot breaks out at ‘Daisy’ screening

Los Angeles police on tactical alert

A riot broke out just outside Grauman’s Chinese Theater in Hollywood Wednesday evening at a screening for docu “Electric Daisy Carnival Experience.”

A block party had been scheduled to coincide with the screening, and earlier this afternoon, Kaskade, a remixer featured in the film who was also slated to play tonight outside the theater, promoted the event to fans via his Twitter. Thousands showed up while he was performing his set, and the crowd lost control.

The LAPD says it has fired at the crowd with bean bags, and people in the crowd have been seen starting some fires. The LAPD also says some people in the crowd were throwing rocks and bottles.

Shortly after the breakout, Kaskade took to his Twitter page and tweeted, “Everybody CHILL OUT!!! The cops are freaking out. BE SAFE AND LET’S HAVE SOME FUN!”

LAPD spokesman commander Andrew Smith told Variety two people were arrested for felony vandalism for destruction of two police cars. Smith added that dozens more were detained for failing to disperse but were later released.

LAPD spokeswoman Karen Rayner told Variety that that the situation appears to be getting under control as of 9:45 p.m. with Hollywood Boulevard about to be re-opened.

Rayner noted that the premiere was not canceled and about 2,000 people attended. She said that several people had been taken into custody.

Event producer Insomniac Inc. has issued a statement expressing disappointment, “that a small group of people would try to mar a private documentary screening.”

From the scene, about an hour after the uproar, despite massive local gridlock and numerous news helicopters above, the crowd began to simmer, as Hollywood Blvd. from Highland to LaBrea was blocked off by police in riot gear.

Police officer Ralph Sanchez, who says they received the call at approximately 7:30 p.m., says he was at the scene at Hollywood and Highland 15 minutes later.

“We responded to a call of rocks and bottles being thrown at officers. There were anywhere between two and five thousand people, easy. There have been no further disturbances,” said Sanchez.

Pic chronicles the high profile rave, which was already embroiled in controversy due to a drug-related death at its 2010 L.A. Colisuem event, along with numerous arrests and overdoses at the Carnival’s Las Vegas iteration last month.

Top electronic acts including David Guetta, Deadmaus5 and Moby are featured in the Kevin Kerslake-directed pic, which was shot at a private event Monday at the Music Box Theater in Hollywood.